NYCSLS Library Advisory Council
Council Meeting #2
Date: December 2, 2008
Time: 12:00 - 3:00pm
Place: John Philip Sousa, M.S. 142
Members in attendance: Kathy Steves, Christine Hatami, Bernadine Lowery-Crute, Maureen Hurley, Sally Young, Andrea Vaughn
Office staff in attendance: Barbara Stripling, Esther McRae, Lynne Kresta Smith, Judith Schaffner, Melissa Jacobs-Isreal
Documents at meeting:
NYSED School Library Media Program Evaluation Rubric
Agenda:
12:00 - 12:30 Eat, meet, greet, introductions - Kathy Steves, NYCSLS Council Chairperson
12:30 - 1:00 Fall Conference, Spring Conference, NYLA Conference Reports - Staff, School Library Services
1:00 - 1:30 Budget Cut Ramifications - Barbara Stripling, NYCSLS Director
1:30 - 1:45 NY State Library Rubric Overview Barbara Stripling
1:45 - 2:30 Work time and report back - Council members
2:30 - 3:00 Announcements, new business, members concerns
Melissa Jacobs-Isreal reports:
Fall Conference
The Fall Conference was well-attended with over 800 participants. The theme was Media Literacy with keynote speaker and 60+ concurrent
sessions. The new handbook was distributed along with other materials, including several donations, graphic novels, Oprah Winfrey's geneology book, etc. There were 65 vendors, brown bag sessions, author book signings, a book seller (first time) and several publishers. Diamond Publishing had arranged for Art Spiegelman to speak during the afternoon session, which was terrific. The overall feedback was positive.
Discussion of the pros and cons followed Melissa's report, including the management of this very large event, problems with Internet access, and the relatively low attendance at the PM sessions. Ideas on how to keep participants in the PM included possibly scheduling a big name presenter at the end of the conference.
Judith Schaffner reports:
Spring Conference
SLS is currently brainstorming the theme and location of the spring conference. Summer Reading will be the same presentation as in previous years. Past conferences have always been the same in all five boroughs. This year we may offer different topics at different locations with different guest speakers. This format would allow for more in-depth, focused sessions on one topic, however, not all participants would receive the same information. Planning on this will continue.
Lynne Kresta Smith reports:
SLMS Conference
The 2009 SLMS conference will be held at the Saratoga Hotel from April 30th - May 2nd, hosted by School Library Systems Associates (SLSA), of which SLS is a member. There will be 6 literacy workshops, 5 professional workshops, 1 advocacy workshop and 4 workshops presented by NYC school librarians. There will also be authors and vendors on site.
Barbara Stripling reports:
Budget cuts ramifications
We have been informed of the following cuts to our budget:
all programming funds will be cut
CCD funding will be cut by half
8 Million Reasons to Read grant will be cut by half
no funds will be available for the spring conference venue or for food, materials, handouts
24% of the total budget for fiscal year 2009
no additional cuts for 2010
In response to these projections, we are considering alternatives to professional development opportunities including webinars, online training, professional development posted on our website, etc. Melissa stated that we need grant monies for continued tablet support, to name just one ongoing service.
Barbara reported that the BEDS surveys have revealed that we have just over 500 certified librarians and that only 75% of NYC schools have a library media center. Many libraries are staffed by paras, clerks or teachers, creating an increasing need for professional development.
A discussion followed regarding the issue of campus schools, libraries closed for renovations and secondary schools without librarians or library programs. Barbara Stripling reports:
NY State Library Evaluation Rubric
Our task today is to review the NY State Library Evaluation Rubric, provide evidence of the positive effect of library media centers, and the best way to collect such evidence, either at the building or system level.
The Council split up into 3 groups and reviewed the indicators of Reading, Social Learning, Social Responsibility, Climate, Instructional Leadership and Intellectual Freedom.
In summary, the Council reported the following findings:
most activities are school-based
an administrative response should be added to all pertinent evidence
the report stays within the building
collect data within the system
we must be assertive and inject the role of the library into all long range plans and goals
librarians should consider documenting the amount of time spent on support staff work
there is a need for a webinar on the training of library volunteers
collect statistics on the use of library space for different activities throughout the year
keep track of growth related to professional development
collect data and relate it to the goals
Upcoming meetings:
Wednesday March 4, 2009
Thursday May 14, 2009
Locations TBA
The meeting was adjourned at 2:45 pm
Minutes submitted by Christine Hatami, Secretary
Council Meeting #2
Date: December 2, 2008
Time: 12:00 - 3:00pm
Place: John Philip Sousa, M.S. 142
Members in attendance: Kathy Steves, Christine Hatami, Bernadine Lowery-Crute, Maureen Hurley, Sally Young, Andrea Vaughn
Office staff in attendance: Barbara Stripling, Esther McRae, Lynne Kresta Smith, Judith Schaffner, Melissa Jacobs-Isreal
Documents at meeting:
NYSED School Library Media Program Evaluation Rubric
Agenda:
12:00 - 12:30 Eat, meet, greet, introductions - Kathy Steves, NYCSLS Council Chairperson
12:30 - 1:00 Fall Conference, Spring Conference, NYLA Conference Reports - Staff, School Library Services
1:00 - 1:30 Budget Cut Ramifications - Barbara Stripling, NYCSLS Director
1:30 - 1:45 NY State Library Rubric Overview Barbara Stripling
1:45 - 2:30 Work time and report back - Council members
2:30 - 3:00 Announcements, new business, members concerns
Melissa Jacobs-Isreal reports:
Fall Conference
The Fall Conference was well-attended with over 800 participants. The theme was Media Literacy with keynote speaker and 60+ concurrent
sessions. The new handbook was distributed along with other materials, including several donations, graphic novels, Oprah Winfrey's geneology book, etc. There were 65 vendors, brown bag sessions, author book signings, a book seller (first time) and several publishers. Diamond Publishing had arranged for Art Spiegelman to speak during the afternoon session, which was terrific. The overall feedback was positive.
Discussion of the pros and cons followed Melissa's report, including the management of this very large event, problems with Internet access, and the relatively low attendance at the PM sessions. Ideas on how to keep participants in the PM included possibly scheduling a big name presenter at the end of the conference.
Judith Schaffner reports:
Spring Conference
SLS is currently brainstorming the theme and location of the spring conference. Summer Reading will be the same presentation as in previous years. Past conferences have always been the same in all five boroughs. This year we may offer different topics at different locations with different guest speakers. This format would allow for more in-depth, focused sessions on one topic, however, not all participants would receive the same information. Planning on this will continue.
Lynne Kresta Smith reports:
SLMS Conference
The 2009 SLMS conference will be held at the Saratoga Hotel from April 30th - May 2nd, hosted by School Library Systems Associates (SLSA), of which SLS is a member. There will be 6 literacy workshops, 5 professional workshops, 1 advocacy workshop and 4 workshops presented by NYC school librarians. There will also be authors and vendors on site.
Barbara Stripling reports:
Budget cuts ramifications
We have been informed of the following cuts to our budget:
- all programming funds will be cut
- CCD funding will be cut by half
- 8 Million Reasons to Read grant will be cut by half
- no funds will be available for the spring conference venue or for food, materials, handouts
- 24% of the total budget for fiscal year 2009
- no additional cuts for 2010
In response to these projections, we are considering alternatives to professional development opportunities including webinars, online training, professional development posted on our website, etc. Melissa stated that we need grant monies for continued tablet support, to name just one ongoing service.Barbara reported that the BEDS surveys have revealed that we have just over 500 certified librarians and that only 75% of NYC schools have a library media center. Many libraries are staffed by paras, clerks or teachers, creating an increasing need for professional development.
A discussion followed regarding the issue of campus schools, libraries closed for renovations and secondary schools without librarians or library programs.
Barbara Stripling reports:
NY State Library Evaluation Rubric
Our task today is to review the NY State Library Evaluation Rubric, provide evidence of the positive effect of library media centers, and the best way to collect such evidence, either at the building or system level.
The Council split up into 3 groups and reviewed the indicators of Reading, Social Learning, Social Responsibility, Climate, Instructional Leadership and Intellectual Freedom.
In summary, the Council reported the following findings:
Upcoming meetings:
Wednesday March 4, 2009
Thursday May 14, 2009
Locations TBA
The meeting was adjourned at 2:45 pm
Minutes submitted by Christine Hatami, Secretary